Electron-discharge device



INVENTOR.

Jan. 7, 1930. A. J. KLONECK ELECTRON DISCHARGE DEVICE Filed Oct. 23. 1922 WITNESSES.

Patented Jan. 7, 1930 UNITED STATES' AUGUST J. KLONECK, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ELECTRON-DISCHARGE- DEVICE Application filed October 23, 1922. Serial No. 596,398.

This invention relates to incandescent lamps generallybut comprises a particular adaptation ofthe same for electron tubes for radio or other utilizing means.

One object of the invention is to produce a bulb with a filament of silver which has the lowest resistance of all metals for obtaining the greatest filament length for a certain volt- Another object of the invention is to produce a filament with a core of a high resistance'metal or a refractory insulating composition with a high melting point and an outer surface of a metallic structure of lower resistance so as to obtain a filament of the highest incandescence near the melting point without rendering the same breakable or weak as without the supporting core of a higher melting point than that of the incandescent coating.

A further object of the invention is to provide suitable cold electrodes in combination with incandescent means for the utilization in electrical current discharge devices.

These and other allied objects are attained by a novel combination of elements hereinafter more fully described and shown in the accompanying dra 'ings in which Figure 1 shows a. sectional view of a filament. Figure 2 shows an electron tube embodying the novel features. Figure 3 shows an incandescent lamp embodying the novel features.

, Referring more particularly to the drawings in which like reference characters denote similar parts: In Figure 1, the numeral 1 denotes abase or container of glass or other material having embedded therein a plurality of electrical conductors 2 of a similar coeificient of expansion. The numeral '3 desig nates a supporting member for a filament. 4 designates the core of the filament 5. 6 designates the incandescent covering of the filament.

tron tubes consisting of an iron core with a silver coating which can be obtained by .fire or by electroplating. The reason for employing iron is twofold. By burning out a filament I connect the same to a high frequency In practice, I employ a filament for elec-' current generator to produce violet ray discharges of current between the electrodes instead of employing the incandescent filament for this purpose. Iron has a higher resistance and melting point than silver; but similarly if desired I may employ nickel or any other suitable metal for a, core or suitable refractory oxide or a nonconductor as a core, further I may substitute an oxide composition for the silver coating or for other incandescent lamps I employ a coating of tungsten, iridium or another suitable composition with a suitable nonmetallic core of a high melting point and strength. It will be noted that the use of a core as suggested as a carrying support for the incandescent filament will pro- 1 duce a lamp, the filament of which will re main strong during the incandescence of the filament coating if the filament is heated near its melting point of the'employed metal when the coating is highly ductile and breakable or during the nonlighting period for a metal which is brittle when cold. It will be noted that a thin coating when employed for light ing gives a much larger surface than a solid filament; and for electron tubes a silver filament or a similar low resistance compound gives the longest filament for a certain voltage as compared with that of other. metals which is desirable for obtaining a long low voltage filament for such tubes. Silver has further the advantage that it can be burned in air. Thus a silver filament will have a longer life in a tube. Electron tubes so covered are less noisy in operation than if not covered for this reason, It is well known that the melting point of metals heated in vacuum is lower than at ordinary pressures; that is, the metals vaporize easier in vacuum than at ordinary pressures. I may fill the bulbs with suitable gases to a higher pressure than usual to decrease the vaporization point, of the filament. A further improvement of the incandescent and electrode members consists in sealing the conductors. For this purpose I'fuse upon that part of the conductors which are to be sealed in the glass base a coat of a suitable flexible enamel, preferably of the type as employed for covering metals for household lOO wares. The latter is thus interposed between the glass and the metal conductors for preventing a cracking of the glass around the metal conductors by changes of temperature, thus preventing an unsealing of the bulb around the conductors of the same. Aflexible enamel consists of sodium, potassium silicate to which a large. portion of oxide of soft metals, such as lead oxide has been added, and fused upon a metal. An enamel coating of this type adheres strongl to the lead in wires and does not crack i subjected to certain changes of temperatures.

Fig. 2 shows an electron tube of a simple construction but embodying certain novel features in the same. The electron tube has a filament 5 ener 'zed by current from a source of current. 11 this case a separate conductor 3 is connected to an intermediate point of the filament 5. The electron tube further comprises the electrodes and 11 which may a The latter has one terminal connected to switch 19 and the other terminal to switch 9. The latter permits the use of the filament 3, 5 or the grid 10 as electrodes as convenient or desired. The plate circuit com rises a battery'15, connected between switc 9 and a radlo fr uency transformer 16 and in multiple to t e transformer 16 through the receiver 17 to the plate electrode of the tube. The transformer 16 is hereby preferably tuned to an odd lower fr uency than that of the signaling current. The secondary of transformer .16 is loosely coupled with the primary and connected between switch lever 9 and grid 11. An additional transformer 20 may be connected in multiple to trans former 16 and similarly connected but tuned to a lower odd frequency than the transformer 16. Switch 19 connects with grid 11 or plate 12; and in the latter position a batter 21 is connected between grid 11 and switch 9 adapted to produce a static electric fieldbetween the electrodes for varying the coaction between the electrodes. The grid 9 and plate electrodes are shown consisting of arch shaped strips of metal providing a strong support of the same for preventing a vibration and the resultin tube noises therefrom. For employing t e electrodes in a circuit for omitting the filament in cooperation in this circuit. as an electrode but employing the same as a source of light or as an electron discharge assisting device, then the discharge of electrons between the electrodes 10, 11 and 12 is assisted by covering the side of the grid 10 with a potassium or sodium amalgam while the plate 12 will not need such coating and simply may be covered a passage of ultra-violet rays. In one form,

the filament or incandescent member will be constructed from a strip of mica or other heat resisting insulating material, electrolytically or otherwise covered with a metal coat such as silver and finally covered with electron discharge assisting oxides.

In Figure 3, the construction of the filament is similar to that described in connection with Figures 1 and 2 and a specific description is considered superfluous.

It is of course not necessary that pure silver should beemployed as some impurities or an alloyed compound may serve just as well for certain conditions.

' Having now fully described my invention,- I claim as new and'desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A bulb having enclosed therein a pluralit of electrodes, one of which has a coat of si ver and an overcoating upon the latter of an oxide compound of a metal of the alkali group, the others of saidelectrodes comprising grid and plate electrodes, the latter being covered with an amalgam of said alkali group.

2. A sealed container includin incandescent electrode means consisting o a metal of low electrical resistance, a lurality of other coacting discharge electro es mounted separately and successively at certain distances from said incandescent means, one of said discharge electrodes bein covered with mercury and another with a kali metal in an amalgam in an active state.

( In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification this 17th day of October, 1922.

AUGUST J. KLONECK. 

